Herculined CB Antenna?

[Begster]

My antenna is mounted on the side of my XJ, and I have found a couple of cracks in the covering material over the actual wire. I know its from hitting all the trees in the woods, I keep getting into tighter areas since i put the antenna on (Last week the path I took apparantly stopped after a little drop, couldn't turn around, so had my friends get out and manouvered through all the trees).

So my question is, I have some extra herculiner from doing my inside, Can I herculine the antenna? Will it affect the performance of it or anything?

[old_man]

Shouldn't significantly change its characteristics.

[Jeffro600]

Probably wont affect performance, but the stuff is not flexable at all and will peel right off after your first encounter with any brush or trees.

Electrical tape, carefully applied, looks fairly nice and holds up surprizingly well to trees ive found.

[mack]

whats wrong with tape?

[Randy_66]

Actually it may change the properties a little, wire HF antennas made from insulated wire tune out quite a bit different from uninsulated ones. Running a fiberglass whip on a trail machine is begging to need your finals replaced after you toast them due to high SWR from a broken antenna. Stainless is a much safer alternative.

[Littlewhitexj]

no, just no.

[Trailbst]

It shouldn't hurt the performance. It is not extremely flexible stuff.

Randy makes a good point.

For $22 (i think that's correct), you can get the best offroad antenna (in my opinion). Visit www.k40.com and look for their flex whip. 4' in length, and is designed so that you can touch the ends together without breaking the antenna.

I have run them on my CJ for YEARS. I love them off road. Randy was correct though, for best performance from your radio, a 102" stainless steel antenna is the best.


Erik

[Randy_66]

I can also vouch for the K-40, we had one back in the 80's, really a good piece. The Wilson 1000 is also supposed to be good. Mount them in a way that halfway protects the loading coil. I really meant any antenna with a stainless whip, but yes, the 102" stainless whip is my all time favorite. At least since 5 element beams are not really practical for mobile use.

[Jeffro600]

For what its worth....

I have ran several different antennas and have settled on my 4' fiberglass firestick. I wheel in alot of forest areas where the trees knock on the thing on a pretty constant basis and ive never broken it and it holds its SWR just fine. There is no sence in running a 100+ inch long antenna on a trail rig as most of the time, your in plain site of the people wheeling with you...not to mention, they will snag, twang and get ripped off fairly easily(ask me how i know....) Even in heavily forested areas with lots of hills, i still get more than plenty of range with a 4 footer that sticks up maybe 2 feet over my roof.

[Gridikal]

What's wrong with that Plasti-coat stuff?

[IdahoEagle]

If you insist on running a cheaper fiberglass antennae, and yours is cracked, try using heat shrink tubing on it. It will seal it, it's flexible and durable, and cheap. It is your best bet. The Herculiner stuff isn't flexible, might affect the signal emissions, and won't last.
The K40 is a very good antenna, just not very trail durable. I have wheeled with many people over the years and seen much antennae carnge of different sorts, and caused some. The most durable is the tried and true stainless 102" that you can get from Radio Shack or somewhere similar. They cost about $18 the last time I bought one from them. The K40 as far as performance is concerned, works great, just kinda delicate for whacking. Fiberglass is just a trail nono on anything that it has to stand above to get signale out due to delecacy as well.

[Rev Den]

The 102" antenna is indeed very good....BUT....many clubs will not allow them on trail UNLESS they are tied down due to the fact that they can smack spotters as you move down the trail. If you tie it down...there goes all the advantages.

Rev

[Begster]

Ya I kept being told by my buddies in my club only to go with fiberglass cause its better and so on. Everyone in my club has a fiberglass antenna, I don't think anyone has metal, they told me to stay away. Its funny cause one of the other cherokees in the club has his antenna mounted in the same place as I do and for a longer amount of time, and he hasn't had any problems.

[CharlesS]

Hands down the 102" whip has the best TX/RX, but is not always practical for all trails....
My antenna of choice is the Wilson 1000 magnet mount with a s/s whip. This antenna was installed 8 years ago and has been used with all types of weather and trails....
The receive and transmit has ALWAYS been excellent....
This antenna has been bent full horizontal, whacked against tree branchs and boulders and even went for a ride when I did a slow roll in Moab back in '03.
Everybody has their preference, but for me.... the bottom line is durability and performance.... Without a doubt; Wilson makes OUTSTANDING antennas.

Charles